It sounds like the mean character of a kids movie about a zoo, but it’s real. A rabbit virus is spreading fast all over Fort Collins, and people are spotting bunnies with little horns, or strange tentacle-like growths, poking out of their heads.
They’re not mutants. They’re just unlucky bunnies with something called Rabbit (Shope) Papillomavirus. The virus makes had horn-shaped growths on their heads and faces. It looks strange, sometimes even a bit creepy, but it’s harmless to people and pets. The best thing you can do? Leave them be.
The photos online are wild. One moment you see a regular cottontail nibbling grass, and the next you notice dark, jagged spikes sticking out of its face. People’s reactions are very different; some feel scared, others curious, and some feel sorry for them. Kids point them out to their parents, tugging at their sleeves. Adults grab their phones for a picture before the rabbit hops back into the bushes like nothing happened.
Susan Mansfield has had the same “horned” rabbit visiting her yard for two years. “I thought he would die off during the winter, but he didn’t,” she told NBC affiliate KUSA. “He came back a second year, and it grew.” Another neighbor called it “a scabbiesh-looking mess” on its face.
What’s going on with this virus
This virus mostly shows up in wild cottontail rabbits, though pet rabbits can catch it too. It spreads when rabbits touch noses or when mosquitoes and fleas carry it from one to another.
The “horns” aren’t bone, they’re made of keratin, like our hair and nails. Sometimes they’re small. Sometimes they grow so big they make it hard for the rabbit to see or eat.
Humans and pets can’t get the virus. But catching or handling an infected rabbit can stress it out and spread other germs, so wildlife experts say to keep your distance.
Rabbit’s life around the neighborhood
These horned rabbits have become a bit of a local legend. People share sightings in Facebook groups, swap stories at the grocery store, and even give them names. One with especially big growths is called “Spike” by a group of schoolkids who see him on their morning walk.
Not everyone thinks it’s funny. Some people feel bad for the rabbits. Others worry the virus might spread fast. Wildlife officials say it looks worse than it is, the animals can live with it for years, and it’s not a danger to people or other pets.
Still, when someone spots one, the news travels fast. A neighbor sees one in their yard, snaps a photo, and within an hour half the block knows about it.
What to do if you see a horned rabbit
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says:
- Keep pets away
- Don’t leave food out for wild rabbits
- Don’t try to catch or treat them—there’s no cure yet
For now, it’s not a crisis. But officials are keeping track of where they pop up.
The weird side of nature
Seeing a rabbit with horns will definitely confuse you. But your eyes are not playing tricks on you. It’s real, a little sad, a little fascinating, and completely unexpected.
That’s nature. Sometimes it’s beautiful. Sometimes it’s harsh. And sometimes it’s just plain strange.
But remember; it’s still a virus, which means that these poor animals that are suffering before it’s gone completely. So respect their space. And if you spot one, take a picture from a safe distance and send it to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. You’ll be helping them keep track, and you’ll have a story no one will believe until they see the photo.